Angel
by Kits
Summary: This is the beginning of a fic, and then each of the chapters is a new ending. I did it this way because there were so many good endings.
1. Angel

A small girl around the age of 5 sat shivering in a small corner of the truck she was in carrying German shepherds. Pinned on her ragged dress was the Star of David, bright and prominent. Her dark hair hung in limp, unkept strings, greasy with uncare, and she herself was covered with dark grease stains. She had been found shuddering in the basement of one of the Underground's house.   
"'allo, mate!" Corporal Peter Newkirk cried, burying his hands deeper into the navy blue trenchcoat he wore. The owner of the truck, who also happened to be a useful agent, was named Oskar Schnitzer. Newkirk moved over to where an obese German guard was standing, watching the agent with suspicion.   
"Ah, Schultzie, let the man do 'is job in peace! It is almost Christmas, you know," he added, effectively distracting the none-too-bright guard.   
"What are you doing?" Schultz questioned, squinting and pointing. Newkirk glared at the finger a moment before turning his attention back to Schultz's face.   
"Talkin' to you, obviously," he replied, feigning annoyance. Schultz opened his mouth to speak, when Newkirk noticed Oskar give a short nod over the blue shoulder in front of him. All right, then, he thought to himself, that means LeBeau got whoever it was out o' the truck, and into the tunnel. When did this job get so easy? Shaking his head, he gave Schultz a disarming smile.   
"Now, Schultzie! I 'ave to go, really... it's gettin' awfully cold about this time, chum!" And with that, he turned and walked away, leaving a very confused Schultz.   
*****  
Meanwhile, in the tunnel below Barracks Two, as well as several others, Colonel Hogan, Corporal Louis LeBeau, Sergeant Andrew Carter, and Sergeant/Radioman Kinchloe all sat or stood, frowning at their newest, and biggest or smallest problem, depending on what view you took. She was not, indeed, very large, but the problem she presented was something to ponder. It was not often... actually, we've never had a little girl! Colonel Hogan thought, very much distressed.   
Carter stooped and smiled at her.   
"Hi," he said soothingly-Carter always did have a unique way with kids, Colonel Hogan mused- "My name's Carter. What's yours?"  
The little girl, who was obviously Jewish, stared at him with wide eyes for a moment, before removing her thumb from her mouth and answering in a small voice, "Katrina."  
"Katrina, that's a pretty name!" Carter said, his smile growing broader. With a sudden thought, he peered at her intently. "Are you hungry?" He noticed her emancipated figure, and the way her cheekbones seemed to almost come out of her skin. He felt a tug at his heart, and picked her up, swinging her onto his hip. She quickly hugged him, and buried her face into his neck.   
"Yes," she answered, muffled. Carter kissed her on the head, and turned to LeBeau, who started off in search of some food. Colonel Hogan glanced at the girl uneasily, who had looked up enough to stare at a very uncomfortable Colonel Hogan. He wanted to say something comforting, but what was he supposed to say to the girl? He suddenly wondered if she had any family, but pushed the thought from his mind, not willing to think about it.  
"I'll be in my office," was all he muttered instead, before turning towards the ladder and starting to climb.   
Carter and Kinch exchanged brief glances. Kinch sighed in exasperation when Carter looked at him with puppy dog eyes.  
"Alright, I'll go talk to him!" he said, before following his commanding officer out.   
********  
"Achtung!" Hochstetter sneered as he burst into Kommandant Klink's office.  
"Major Hochstetter!" Klink greeted nervously, his mind racing to think of any reason why the small, but fierce Gestapo major was doing at Stalag 13. "What a pleasent surprise!"  
"Shut up, Klink, and listen. Just recently in Hammelberg, there was a family hiding... an enemy of the state. We arrested the family, and they have been charged for treason, but we believe the enemy got away," Hochstetter explained.  
"I don't understand, Major-" Klink started.  
"You never do, Kommandant," Hochstetter added the last as a snarl. "I have reason to believe that your senior P.O.W., Colonel Hogan may have something to do with this, so I have ordered my men to search the barracks!"   
******  
Colonel Hogan, who was listening with the other prisoners to the conversation, quickly unplugged the coffee pot, his eyes widening as he realized the implications.   
"Everybody, move! Make sure everyone's here for roll call! For God's sakes, get Carter out of the tunnel, and tell him to make sure that girl keeps quiet!" Hogan barked orders to his men, who were scurrying to hide any incriminating evidence that might be lying about. Carter was retrieved from the tunnel, after giving Katrina some left-over apple strudel. Just as the tunnel closed, and Carter stepped out, the S.S. men burst into the room.   
"Good morning, Major Hochstetter," Colonel Hogan smiled from his place at the head of the table. Kinch and Newkirk looked at each other. They, themselves, were hardly breathing with fear that Katrina might make some sound.   
"Bah! Search the barracks!" Hochstetter ordered, his hands flinging wildly to indicate the whole room. His men hastily obeyed, ripping open matresses, flinging open lockers, and dumping out footlockers.   
"Herr Major," one man stuttered nervously, "There is nothing to report." He gulped noticably when Hochstetter gave him his best glare. Eyes narrowing dangerously, nose wrinkled, he thrust a finger into a calm Hogan's face.  
"I will find you out one day, Hogan," he warned.  
"Find me out, sir? What's there to find out?" he questioned innocently. A sly smirk came over his face briefly before he added, "I'm just a prisoner here." Hochstetter's eyes widened considerably before he turned and left with his men.   
Newkirk looked like he was about to have a heartattack. "I thought if anybody got us killed it would be Katrina, not you, guv'nor!" he shouted. Hogan shot him a disapproving look until he added, "I mean, sir."  
Carter looked almost offended. "Katrina wouldn't have talked!" Everyone looked at him, and he quietly said, "She told me she's used to keeping quiet." Newkirk stared at his feet miserably, as did most of the others. Colonel Hogan just stood, feeling uncomfortable. Finally, he sighed heavily and headed towards the tunnel. He really needed to talk to her, he supposed. Or, at least, that's what Kinch said. Of course, Kinch also said I was afraid of her, and that's not true... I just... oh, God. It's getting pretty bad, Rob, when your sergeant knows you better than yourself. Suddenly, he found himself face-to-face with the girl... what was her name? Oh, yeah, Katrina.  
"Um, hi," he said awkwardly. Katrina stared up at him, before tugging at his pant leg. He stooped, and looked her in the eyes. She was a cute little girl.  
"Uncle Carter," she began, "said you would help me get out of Germany." She stared at him fearlessly, her brown eyes pleading with him to tell her the truth.  
Hogan licked hs lips nervously, and swallowed again. "Yeah... we will." He felt more sure than anything he had ever said before, and he was startled to realize that he meant it more than anything he had ever said before. He gave her a small, lop-sided grin and pulled her close. "Yeah... you'll be going to London. Ever heard of it?" She shook her head, and Hogan picked her up, cuddling her close to him. He sat down on a nearby cot, and started to tell her all the wonderful things in London. Before too long, she was fast asleep in his arms, and clutching his shirt tightly. The Colonel hesitated, before smiling slightly and shaking his head. It looks like I'll be sleeping down here for tonight, he thought, before drifting off to sleep.   
*********  
"Hey! Newkirk, Kinch, LeBeau! C'mere!" Carter whispered to the others, waving to them, though never keeping his eyes off the spot where he was looking.   
"What is it, Carter? We 'ave to find the Colonel-" Newkirk stopped and smirked when he saw what Carter was looking at. Slowly, LeBeau and Kinch came in, and all of them stared at what they wouldn't have dreamed of in a million years. There, leaning comfortably against the wall of the tunnel and fast asleep, was Colonel Hogan, with little Katrina nestled in his arms. Kinch shook his head, and caught Carter's arm when he started forward to wake them.   
"Wait a minute," he said quietly. He and the others just stood there for a moment, when Colonel Hogan started to wake up. He slowly began to stretch, when he noticed the burden on his chest. Smiling a little, he bent down gently and kissed her on the head, and stroked her hair a bit. She sighed in her sleep contentedly, and snuggled closer to him. Hogan's eyes caught sight of four pairs of shoes, suddenly shuffling the dirt underneath them. His eyes traveled upward to where his four closest men were smiling at him knowingly. Realizing they had seen the whole picturesque scene, he blushed deeply and glared at them, to which they grinned even broader.   
Kinch, knowing he had the Colonel at an advantage, grinned devilishly, and made a flippant comment. "Gee, sir, we were just coming to wake you up, but you looked awfully comfortable." The Colonel growled at him quietly, and gently lifted the girl off him. Katrina whimpered a little, and snuggled closer to his warm bulk. Blushing even more at the show of sentiment, he laid her down on the cot, and strode past his chuckling men to the safety of his room. Some days, he thought darkly, it just isn't worth getting out of bed for. He sighed, and admitted that he did enjoy being able to hold and comfort an innocent little girl, caught in a warring world. Rubbing his temples, he sit down, trying not to think of how close it was to Christmas, and his family, as well as Katrina's, who were probably not even alive to spend it with her. Not for the last time, nor the first, he wished the war was over quickly. 


	2. Ending One

Two weeks went by, and the brillaint mastermind code-named "Papa Bear" found himself not wanting Katrina to leave them tomorrow. The normally aloof, withdrawn leader sincerely loved the girl, and didn't want her to go to London, even though he knew it would be safer for her. All day, he spent with her, or as much as he could, just holding her, or playing with her. His men politely left them alone, finding something else to do to keep them from going to the tunnel. But nothing he could do kept her from having to go. As he handed her over to the agent who came to pick her up and take her along the safe-houses to the coast, she tugged at his pant leg like she had the first night. He stooped down, and the agent looked away.   
She leaned close, and whispered in his ear. "My mommy's an angel... are you an angel?" Her eyes stared into his, full of hope, and he smiled at her.   
"Maybe all friends are angels," he whispered. He let her go, and as she left, she turned and stared at him. All he did was give her a wink, and an odd little smile, before slowly heading back up the tunnel. 


	3. Ending Two

"It's Christmas again," Newkirk said glumly. They all turned to Colonel Hogan's closed door. Ever since the Colonel had been captured, every Christmas he spent in his office, never leaving. Once, when Kinch had asked him to spend Christmas with them, he simply glared in response, and shrunk back.   
Carter flinched, remembering why the Colonel was so distant at Christmas. His brother, John, had died near Christmas. Nothing could change that. No matter how much his men showed their support for him, Colonel Hogan still withdrew. After that first Christmas, they simply gave up trying. Maybe this year, Carter thought optimistically, will be different. He's been different since he met Katrina.   
He loved Katrina like he would a daughter. Maybe this year, he could realize that he has something to be thankful for... She's lost a whole family, Carter thought dismally. He's lost a brother. Maybe that's why they get along so well... they've both lost something they love. He shook his head. He would see.  
*********  
Colonel Hogan sat in his barracks, staring at a picture of his brother. A small tear slid down his cheek, and he angrily wiped it away. In a sudden flood of pain and memory, he thought of how it felt when he got the news John was gone. He isn't just leaving home, now, Hogan thought, he's really gone. And on Christmas. He threw the picture away angrily, curling up and trying hard not to think about it, but rather just keep his mind blank, like he had every Christmas before. It hurt less that way.   
***********  
Unnoticed, Katrina slipped silently into Colonel Hogan's barracks, blissfully clueless of the racous party outside.  
***********  
Hogan started when he heard the door creak open. His men usually left him alone, he thought curiously. He sat up, peering into the darkness. There, Katrina stood, barely tall enough to reach the doorknob. He thought of telling her to go away, but she padded over quietly and sat on his lap. She looked up at his face, which, unbeknownst to him, was streaked with tears. She leaned towards him, and whispered,  
"I miss Mommy, too." Colonel Hogan looked at her, surprised, but she just gave him a peaceful look. Hogan looked away briefly. She had lost her whole family. Her own mother, for God's sake. And he was being selfish, mourning a lost brother for over three years. She climbed off his lap, and walked out of the room. Hogan sat there for a minute, before getting up and opening the door.  
LeBeau noticed Colonel Hogan first, and hurriedly amended,   
"Sorry, mon colonel! We'll be quieter!" The others quickly nodded agreement, but Hogan shook his head.   
"It's ok... I was just wondering... can I join?" Hogan said. His men glanced at each other, surprised, before smiling broadly. Newkirk sidled up to the colonel, and gave him a drink.   
"Welcome back, sir."  
"Hey," Hogan started, feeling rather silly. "Do you know where Katrina went? I need to thank her for something." The others looked at him closely. Finally, Carter spoke up.  
"Who, sir?" Carter asked. Somewhere in the festivities, a bell rang, and an old saying his mother had told him came to mind. Everytime a bell rings, an angel gets her wings. Hogan smiled.  
"Nobody, Carter, nobody." He looked up at Heaven, offering a silent prayer, and a thank you. 


	4. Ending Three

"Alright, Katrina, you're on your own from here," Colonel Hogan said sadly. He had grown attached to the girl, and didn't want her to leave. She smiled at him shyly, and reached up to put her arms around his neck. His arms encircled her, and he hugged her back. "I'm sorry to leave you here, but the agent can't come and get you. Just remember to go to that house, right there." Hogan pointed to a house, still half-holding her beside him. She nodded, and began walking slowly, when suddenly, gun fire broke the silence of the night.   
"Halt!" a sharp voice called, distinctly German. Colonel Hogan gave Katrina a push towards the house, hoping the man didn't see her. He stood when he felt the muzzle of a Luger pressed into his back.   
"What are you doing?" the voice asked menacingly. Hogan breathed a sigh of relief. He hadn't noticed Katrina. Silently, he asked Heaven to watch over her, and make sure she got to safety. "Well?" Hogan darted from the grasp, zagging desperatley to the left, drawing his attention from Katrina, who was still fully visible, walking towards the house, hoping she wasn't drawing any attention. A second shot rang out, and Hogan felt a searing heat impact his stomach. He clutched the spot in agony, falling to the ground helplessly. In a haze of cloudy pain, he thought he saw two figures, a male and a female, help Katrina to the house. The Gestapo man had apparently gone to seek help, leaving him alone, when the man and woman started walking towards him, their faces a tender mix of gratefulness and sorrow.   
"Who are you?" he tried to ask when he noticed that their feet didn't touch the ground, but instead floated just above the dirt. He looked at them with wild eyes, and the woman knelt beside him.   
"Hush, Colonel. You have deserved to rest," she said. She passed a pale hand over his forehead, and he closed his eyes, falling into a deep sleep for all eternity. 


	5. Ending Four

Ah, hell, Hogan thought as he shuffled back to Stalag 13. He was walking along a bridge that had iced over for Christmas, and being careless, which was highly unusual. The whole problem was Katrina, the little Jewish girl they had protected for the last week. He had quickly grown to love her, with her quiet smiles, and warm hugs. He was going to miss her, he realized with a lump in his throat. Suddenly, his foot hit an especially slick patch of ice, and he went flying into the air. He grabbed the side of the bridge for support, but his hands scrabbled at icy stone, and he found himself hanging off the side of the bridge, slipping steadily.   
His hands gave way, and right before he fell, he felt a firm hand grip his. Another one reached for his arm, and he found himself being hauled up over the bridge. After he was swung over the side, he looked up to the face of his rescuer. The face was blurred, and a soft light glowed behind him, making his features unable to recognize. Hogan licked his lips and softly whispered,  
"Where did you come from?" The figure might have smiled, and tilted his head upwards, casting his eyes toward Hogan. Something about the man's face was familair, and Hogan struggled to remember, when it suddenly came to him. "John!" he cried, reaching forward. His hands passed through his brother. "Goodbye," he said, tears running down his face. John gave a sad smile, then slowly faded away, leaving only pitch darkness in his wake. Hogan sat down and cried for his lost brother, and out of happiness. All he ever wanted to do was say goodbye, and he had gotten his chance. He sighed, wiped his face with the back of his hand, and looked up at Heaven. "Merry Christmas, John." 


End file.
